


A Crown of Candy Is Meant To Be Enjoyed By All

by Anonymous



Category: A Crown of Candy - Fandom, Dimension 20 (Web Series), Dimension 20: A Crown of Candy, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Politics, Alternative Universe - Kingdom, Assassination Attempt(s), Assassination Plot(s), Betrayal, Consent Issues, Contracts, Deception, Dom/sub Undertones, Dubious Consent, Dubious Ethics, Dubious Morality, Explicit Sexual Content, Fictional Religion & Theology, Hatred, Hybrids, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Internal Conflict, Internal Monologue, Lies, Loss of Innocence, Loss of Trust, M/M, Magic, Memory Loss, Paladins, Power Dynamics, Rape/Non-con Elements, Slow To Update, Vmin Bingo 2020, Warlocks, Wish Fulfillment, Wishes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:01:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26461603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: He has been inadvertently involved in political schemes for as long as he can remember. Sometimes he wishes he was back in the past.But, no. He can only go forward.They can only go forward.
Relationships: Kim Taehyung | V/Park Jimin
Kudos: 4
Collections: Anonymous, Vmin Bingo Fest 2020





	A Crown of Candy Is Meant To Be Enjoyed By All

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [A Crown of Candy: Episode 1 (English Subbed)](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/683827) by Dimension 20. 



> Um, a lot of notes!
> 
> 1\. This is putting mainly BTS and many other K-Pop groups into the Dungeons and Dragons game A Crown of Candy!  
> V is Chancellor Lapin Cadbury and Jimin is Sir Keradin Deeproot because I read a comment that said Lapin would... well, basically the ending paragraph of this randomly extremely long work, minus all the internal monologue. I've thought long and hard and I still can't decide who the others will be yet, unfortunately.
> 
> 2\. To those of you who don't know, there will be something mentioned often that is called a Lollistaff. It's basically a magical staff with a special name because it has special powers.
> 
> 3\. I am taking creative liberties with my hybrids space, instead of the normal animal hybrids, it's food hybrids, I hope they count? So, like, instead of the actual food they are in the campaign, if anyone reading this actually knows it, they're actual humans, but, like, colored body parts and food blood and Taehyung totally has chocolate bunny ears. I don't know how having food body parts and bodily fluids would actually work anatomically, but let's ignore that, shall we?
> 
> 4\. This is there third time I'm ever attempting smut and the first time I'm actually posting it. It didn't actually end up being too sexy, it just ended up being more of a power thing, but I would really appreciate pointers. Depending on the reviews of this, I'll see what's safe to include or not include in further chapters whenever I update!
> 
> Maybe not a lot of notes?

The Church had acted beyond his knowledge.

Everything was spinning out of control of his weak-gripped hand and the King of Candia had momentarily lain, poisoned, during the Tournament.

“Boldness will be required in the days to come, Lapain,” the Sugar Plum Fairy had said, “the risk will be greater if you do not act.”

Hatred ran fluid like the chocolate blood in his veins for the Sugar Plum Fairy, but he knew well to take her warnings to heart, when she had the slightest inclination to give them. Especially regarding the ruling family of Candia.

So he would be bold. He had spent his years hiding in the folds of the Bulbian Church, waiting, watching, escaping memorable notice. But now- now he was forced to act.

Something slid into place under the milk chocolate of his skin as he came into his resolution, chocolate bunny ears straightening above his head and Lollistaff thrumming indistinctly with power in his grip. Sir Theobald, to his side, glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and must have recognized something in his eyes, for some begrudging respect flitted through his own, somewhat alike the look in his eyes when he was by the side of the King and Queen of Candia, never once directed to him in their mutual- _dislike_ \- for one another, and he took a step back, nodding at him to attempt whatever it was he had planned.

He himself didn’t know yet what he had planned. Nonetheless, he looked up, straight into the green eyes of Sir Jimin, Paladin of the Bulbian Church, so pale the green of his irises almost faded into the white of their surroundings. Sir Jimin was chained to the wall via shackles around his arms and legs, crossed securely around his person as, much like a child, he had his knees drawn up to his chest, arms wrapped around them, the protection of a lonely creature. His gaze, as he looked up at Taehyung, was vacant, as it had been from the moment Taehyung had met him.

It was then a sudden jolt of understanding crystallized in his brain, that the good Paladin could never have been spelled into attempting assassination on the King of Candia. His profound faith in the great Bulb above granted him immunity to suggestions of the mind. So whatever the Church had planned, Sir Jimin had taken his orders williningly, as he most likely had for the entirety of his life, likely raised within the Church a soldier, taught not to think for himself and to simply carry out the orders of the Church for the great Bulb above.

How troubling.

Taehyung could still remember the power of the intensity of his nearly fully white eyes when they had first been introduced to each other by the Pontifex, the simple conviction that Taehyung was worthy of a sacrifice of death at the simple mention that the great Bulb above may have given him his powers. He could remember clearly how that moment had stretched long, in his mind, caught, captivated by Sir Jimin’s blank gaze boring into his own, fervent in his stout belief.

And now his stout belief was more of an impediment than a point of admiration. Or, well, it always had been so. But it was now that Taehyung recognized it for what it was, a danger, and not something potent that slid into his veins at the sight, filling it with something long lost.

He had once a great worship for someone as Sir Jimin so seemed to hold for the great Bulb. Certainly not so much that it had left him immune to mind magic, but so much so that he would give anything to be in service to them.

The steadfast, he knew, were sometimes the most easy to fool.

He lifted his eyes from Sir Jimin with the barest of nods, unsure even if the Paladin had caught it. “Leave me alone with the prisoner.”

Sir Theobald readied to leave with but a hesitant glance Taehyung’s way, but Commander Grissini stepped in to intervene.

“I am afraid we cannot allow the prisoner to be left here- your King was just attempted to be assassinated-”

“You can just step outsi-” Taehyung cut in, uncharacteristic of himself, but there was something boiling inside him, his molten chocolate blood heating with some sort of power, and the sugar of his Lollistaff was pushing something potent into his palm and through him, as if sensing he was about to pull something unlike he had ever done before. He took a calming breath, let the magic of his staff sink under his skin and into his blood, safe from detection. “Can you just step outside for a moment?”

“I cannot step outside for a moment, I’m afraid, I-" the Commander paused, grave even in his apparent sympathy. "I- If you- _Nobody_ would blame you if you slit this man’s throat. And I cannot allow that to happen, I have been ordered by the Hierophant Rex of the Bulbian Church to make sure that justice is dispatched by the Church this instance.”

Taehyung felt a familiar irritation settle into his chocolate skin, foreign simply because it was usually directed at Sir Theobald and occasionally the King himself, but now the King was wounded and required _his_ aid, of all people, and Sir Theobald was at his side, _supporting him,_ and everything was turned on its head.

“I am of the Ch- I’m a _Primogen_ of the Church, you will not allow me to have a conversation- Are you saying that I am a _liar_ and I will- _a man of my faith_ will- _kill_ this prisoner?”

The Commander’s jaw continued to drop, ever so slightly, as he spoke, and by the time his little, slightly impassioned speech was over, the room had gone silent under the weight of his power, none of the hundred soldiers of the garrison present in the room moving a single muscle, all entrapped by his lofty, somewhat irritated air, and the immense status they now knew he held.

The Commander bowed deeply, stunned and trembling, to him, yet another man of the Bulbian faith, and rushed to apologize to him. “I am deeply sorry, Your Grace- um- leave the, uh- the Chancellor and Primogen to his business.”

Taehyung didn’t deign to answer. He had played it safe for 25, maybe 30 years, staying out of the way of the Church, lest they found that his magic didn’t truly come from the Bulb but from the pagan spirit of the Sugar Plum Fairy, but now- now he commanded the power of the Chancellor of Castle Candy _and_ Primogen of the Bulbian Church.

Now Taehyung was in control.

All one hundred of the soldiers of the garrison left the dungeon room, Sir Theobald in their midst, eyes lingering for a few seconds on Taehyung, and then watching the Commander and the garrison around him. The echo of a hundred and two pairs of feet ricocheted off the stone walls, thundering even as they moved farther down the dungeon’s corridors to give him and Sir Jimin space.

Taehyung turned to Sir Jimin, regarded him for a few seconds, stretched his free hand out to catch in his palm the light from the Bulb as it shone through the barred dungeon window, and made sure Sir Jimin saw how his eyes lingered on the light.

He needed to use anything and everything he could to aid him in the gigantic risk he was about to take.

“Clearly your plan has been foiled.” He paused, sighed, raised his eyes to eye Sir Jimin gravely. “I’m going to need to... work a miracle to ensure that you act in accordance to me as a Primogen of the Bulbian Church and not, let's say, any... _distasteful_ turns of the mind, shall we? The Bulb above would not appreciate it if its good Paladin was susceptible to _other_ influences."

There was a moment of silence in which the ever dutiful Paladin of the Bulbian Church slowly gathered his wits about him to respond, which was soon replaced with a quiet rustle of chains as he raised his head to stare at Taehyung, that burning vacant gaze inscribing a tale of unquestionable submission into his mind.

"Do you suspect someone was able to seize control of my mind, my Lord Primogen?" Sir Jimin asked, chains rustling softly as his eyebrows furrowed, ever so slightly, the first beginnings of an expression Taehyung had ever seen cross his face as he considered the possibility that it wasn't simply the armor or some outside force that tilted the poisonous dagger unfatally, although he suspected Sir Jimin didn't have the mind to consider the latter possibility.

He would have to change that, then.

Taehyung kept his eyes grave, affected sympathy, and pushed down on the simple confidence that Sir Jimin didn't suspect a thing, would never, as long as the guise that he was truly a member of the Church held.

Which meant Taehyung would have to act fast, carefully, until Sir Jimin was under his total control, if he had any chance of casting the spell he wished to.

If he was to have any chance to control the mind of such a pious man, there was nothing greater than obtaining the consent of a man who believed he was leaving the inner workings of his mind to what was supposed to be one of the most trustworthy members of the very Church he believed in.

"I dare not suggest it as a certainty for one such as yourself, good Paladin, however, _because_ you are who you are, there is a chance the only reason you had ever failed was simply because someone else had the ability to convince you to do so." He paused, pretended he was considering something, and internally wondered if bringing up any of the magic that they had casted to save their king was too risky a move. But he had to know, always had to be prepared. "Did you notice any strange magic on the tournament field as you tried to carry out your duty?"

“There was a boy…” Sir Jimin spoke slowly, as if remembering. Taehyung bit back a curse. “A young Candian peppermint hybrid, he seemed to have cast some arcane magic which was able to identify the water steel blades. He called out in warning to his king and his subjects reacted much too fast for me to attempt to finish the deed.”

Grim dread filled him. So Liam had been caught after all. If it was Taehyung’s magic alone, he was well and long versed in the ways of deception golden Bulbian light masking the purple sparkles of the Sugar Plum Fairy’s magic, but Liam was young and utilized not true arcane wizardry, but wild, druidic magic from the deep forest recesses of a land where magic was used freely, not scorned and persecuted as it was in the lands of the other kingdoms of the Concordant Empire, under the influence of the Bulbian faith. None of the children of their entourage were prepared enough for the utter rejection of arcane magic of the other kingdoms of the Concordant Empire before given leave to partake in their diplomatic travel. Taehyung would have to find a way to shield Liam from the persecution of the Church in the limited time he was sure to have.

A good deception would be… As in the case of the spell he was trying to use now, as the Sugar Plum had used on him long, long ago.

Taehyung would just have to become the apparent evil.

He dropped to his knees before the still Sir Jimin. Truly, the good Paladin was beautiful beyond compare, Taehyung had known it from the moment he laid eyes on him. And he gave into Taehyung’s deceitful instructions so easily… Taehyung could feel the Sugar Plum Fairy’s magic alighting power in his veins.

This, he knew, must have been how she felt when she took advantage of him that night, all those years ago, chaining him under her command. The feeling was… intoxicating. That he had complete control until the illusion faded. That the beautiful creature before him would not even think to resist any of his careful, careful actions. That Taehyung wouldn’t be acting, wouldn’t have that reassurance hidden in his heart as the Sugar Plum Fairy did, because her worldview was so, so different from his- he would truly become the apparent evil in this scenario.

It was all of a sharp pain, a hot lash of brutal self-admonishment for taking advantage of this unsuspecting man. But it was a sharp pain dulled by the resigned duty of a liar that had ruled his entire life once he came under service of the Sugar Plum Fairy, sharpened and dulled again by a familiar hatred for her and how much what the spell he was trying to now use came from her use of it upon him that night long, long ago, simply dissolved into potent, mixed power by his necessary recognition of the fact that this was a rare moment in which he held the reins of power in this world which had tried to stomp his life out from birth.

“I see.” He murmured. Sir Jimin’s gaze once again filtered out into blankness, likely in the belief that Taehyung would right this wrong, as a good Primogen of the Church should.

Taehyung would right a wrong. Or- no. He would wrong another wrong. Defile a faithful man in punishment for his attempted murder of his king. There would be no true rights to be found here.

“Allow me to work my miracle then, Sir Paladin. I will leave you unsusceptible to other influences for a while.”

Sir Jimin lowered his head. “So you wish, so it may be done, Lord Primogen. As Primogen, you need not address me by title. I understand you are Primogen by right of your miracle workings and not your internal workings of the Church itself, so you may not have exposure to the internal hierarchy of the Church, but I am simply called Sir Jimin by the Primogen Alfredi and Jimin by Her Holiness, the Pontifex herself. While I will continue to refer to Your Grace as is due, Your Grace is allowed to simply refer to me by my name.”

How perfect. The name which Taehyung hated- and now, he would only be the Primogen of the Bulbian Church, as his years of disguise had made him become.

Taehyung smiled. “Well then, Sir Jimin.” Sir Jimin’s eyes did not so much as flutter, gaze unfocused as always and yet unmoving in the slightest from Taehyung's proximity, as Taehyung leaned in close, paused to look deeply into his eyes, and smiled a slow smile. “I will begin now.”

And Sir Jimin’s single-minded focus was directed wholly onto Taehyung, the full force of his belief settling, weighted, on his shoulders, utter submission to his desires, completely unobservant of his Lollistaff, which he slowly, slowly tilted until it finally caught under a ray of light from the barred window.

His field of vision illuminated suddenly as the rays caught and fanned out from his staff and Sir Jimin did not so much as wince at the light as Taehyung momentarily did, eyes as blank as ever, soon recaptured on Taehyung as he slowly, slowly leaned in, in, a shared breath, cold in the brittle air of the dungeon, puffs warming against his lips until he was but a hair’s breadth away, the phantom weight of Sir Jimin’s lips against his, phantom heat, and then a phantom no more.

Taehyung leaned the last sliver of distance in and gently pushed his lips against Sir Jimin’s. He could tell just how inexperienced Sir Jimin was in anything remotely of this fashion at the silent intake of breath as their lips met, and in that brief moment of surprise, Taehyung pushed the magic he had been collecting within himself from his excited Lollistaff from the moment he had decided on this plan of action into Sir Jimin, watching as his eyelids fluttered close in surprise at the foreign sensation. The instant the Paladin’s impossible mental defenses were muffled, Taehyung cast the Charm Person spell stored within the Lollistaff, the hateful reminder of a gift the Sugar Plum Fairy had given him for his service.

When Sir Jimin opened his eyes once again, breath puffing only slightly agitated against Taehyung’s lips, Taehyung could see the faintest of purple glaze, a film of magic that would hopefully grow and spread throughout the Paladin’s body, keeping him under Taehyung’s control until he got the information he needed or his deception failed.

“What…” Sir Jimin murmured, blinked, wide eyed, visibly struggling to find words. “What was that?”

“The beginning of my miracle.” And Taehyung had never needed words to be more true. Sir Jimin’s eyes flicked down to his lips, as if he couldn’t quite believe what had happened, or perhaps as if some part of him wanted more. If Taehyung was right, if Sir Jimin had been taken in by the Church for the sole purpose of raising a faithful follower to carry out the will of the Church, then Sir Jimin would have gone his whole life not knowing the more intimate touch of a fellow hybrid. So here, Taehyung had the advantage. The power to break down his faith until it was weakened enough to not be a threat to him and the kingly entourage any longer. He sat back, a controlled descent. “Let us leave it some time to settle within you, Sir Jimin. For now, allow me to take care of you. I see they have not allowed you to remove your armor as you are kept within your cell.”

This, Taehyung knew without even needing confirmation, was false. The Imperial soldiers were all of Bulbian faith. They would give the Paladin of the Bulbian Church every comfort they could allow. It was likely Sir Jimin himself who had refused to be relieved of his resplendent, golden armor, a symbol of his brilliant faith. Yet as Sir Jimin parted his lips to protest, Taehyung cut him off, powering on as if he had not noticed. “How awful. I really must ensure you are given all the comfort you deserve, a blessed Paladin of the great Bulb above.”

Taehyung watched the purple glaze strengthen over Sir Jimin’s eyes at his apparent concern, gaze returning to its blank state of blind faith. But it was tainted faith now. Faith that had allowed arcane magic to enter a righteous mind, faith that now believed under the guidance of a power that was not of the Bulb. “It is alright, Lord Primogen. I am never rid of my duty. I wear my armor at all times of the day it is possible. It would be, in fact, a terrible shame to be forced to remove the armor.”

Taehyung let that comment settle in, confirm his suspicions, stir a familiar hatred. Yes, he hated the Sugar Plum Fairy, as every good Bulbian did, but his servitude under her was admittedly born from his own, young mistake. The blame he maintained for her control over him was as much his as it was hers. And she herself had given him both magic unlike he’d ever wielded before and a chance to fulfill their contract to an end, provided he granted her three wishes to the best of his abilities. The Bulb, however. The Bulb was in contact with no one, had a great following, allowed its followers to terrorize and override all other, much more ancient religions with much more present spirits. There was no true significance to the golden armor than a symbol of power. Power Sir Jimin held? No. It was a symbol of the power of the Church and nothing less. There was no way the bulk of it did not weigh significantly down on Sir Jimin and Sir Jimin had been taught to take pride in the weight he was forced to carry, as if the power of his organization was worth a suffering he had grown immune to.

Sir Theobald was the same way, if Taehyung thought about it. It wasn’t as if he was forever wearing his own golden Candian armor, but Sir Theobald could indeed be found wearing it more often than not. His duty, in his own words, never ended. A full time job. Forever in the service of the king and proud of it. Taehyung would never understand that mentality. He, who was enslaved by the Sugar Plum Fairy and forced to come under the service of Castle Candy. The passage of time had soothed his indignant hatred, but he hadn’t always been in servitude of the Sugar Plum Fairy and the King and Queen of Candia.

Once upon a time, Taehyung had been free.

He drew in a subtle breath. “Then at least allow me to loosen your fastenings. You have never been in a dungeon before, I hope, Sir Jimin. I know not how long you will remain here. It is best to allow yourself to relax. Get some rest, if you are able. Service to the Bulb is best when the follower himself is in his best condition.”

Sir Jimin made no move to reply for a moment and Taehyung waited, subtly collecting his Lollistaff's magic within himself once again, ready to move as he did once he received Sir Jimin’s terse nod. It was clear Sir Jimin had considered his words wise, but the widening of his eyes- which would not have been so apparent if the Charm Person spell did not encourage him to loosen his restraints, quietly, slowly, creeping- as Taehyung rose into his space once more, hands stretching towards the fastenings of his armor seemed conflicted, in all its utter blankness.

He had never been told, Taehyung was sure, that he was allowed to forsake his duty in order to return to it in better health. Even Sir Theobald knew to pursue his own interests and could be convinced to take a break every now and then from his perpetual guard of the royal family.

As it was, Taehyung took his time unfastening Sir Jimin’s armor, brushing faintly against Jimin’s clothes as he worked, efficiently pressing sugar plum magic into Sir Jimin as he worked. Slowly, he felt Sir Jimin’s gaze begin to focus once again on him as he worked, growing weighty in the submission that in turn made Taehyung feel flighty. It filled him with a sort of power and confidence that was robbed from him, outside of his constant bouts with Sir Theobald, with whom he could stand on equal footing in their mutual dislike, his occasional surprising of his king, a feat which he had never expected himself capable of, given the king’s lorded battle prowess, and the lesser subjects of the Castle Candy, who were otherwise obliged to bend to his will as Chancellor of the castle.

Sir Jimin’s body did not relax as Taehyung worked, contrary to what Taehyung said he was hoping to achieve, and Sir Jimin did not seem to notice at all. The muscles of Sir Jimin’s thighs flexed underneath Taehyung’s careful fingers as he moved upwards in his ministrations, weaving power in pleasurable tingles as he moved closer to Sir Jimin’s hips, pressing down on his increasingly straining muscles and listening carefully for the mirrored strain in Sir Jimin’s breath.

The steadfast remained the easiest to fool, if fooled appropriately. And while in this situation, Taehyung had meant that to apply solely to Sir Jimin, Taehyung found himself unable to breathe as he paused once he finally reached the unexpectedly slender taper of Sir Jimin’s hips. Sweat pooled at his temple, brittle dungeon air having turned warmer and more humid as he’d worked. He could feel the pause in Sir Jimin’s breath above him, in sync with his own in that brief pause, that momentary wanting so completely apparent on both sides without even meaning to, so reminiscent of the stretch of time of their first meeting, when Sir Jimin’s vacant burning eyes met his own.

And then the moment passed and Taehyung rose swiftly, moving to unfasten the armor along Sir Jimin’s arms and listening, satisfied, to the stutter of Sir Jimin’s breath being forced to resume.

It was such a rush, the ability to affect someone so indomitable. Taehyung let it fuel the Charm Person radiating from his Lollistaff, now resting on the floor, still in the light of the barred dungeon window, but no longer casting significant light in their field of vision, let his lingering touches filled with hidden purple sugar plum energy lengthen, extended contact once again causing Sir Jimin’s arms to flex agitatedly, likely confused, perhaps wanting more.

Hopefully wanting more.

Taehyung worked past Sir Jimin’s elbows, up his shoulders, at the connecting shoulder pad and under, where he stretched unusually nimble fingers to unfasten the work under his chest plate.

Sir Jimin’s heart, Taehyung could feel, as he let his fingertips rest against Sir Jimin’s ribs once he was done with all the fastenings that he had the mind to work on, was speeding at such an incredible rate that was barely betrayed on his face even at the gentle encouragement of the Charm Person spell, eyebrows only slightly furrowed, veins in his neck barely rising above the unblemished pale orange of his neck. The incredible power Taehyung could feel radiating from his body was immense, almost overpowering, even as he lay chained and losing breath on a dungeon floor. If such immense power turned against him and his people… Taehyung knew they would not survive. This man had dedicated his mind and body to the Bulbian faith and the Church had taken the offering and trained him to become the strongest tool they could ever form. And yet Taehyung could feel the endearing minute, stifled gasps of the man before him puffing against his face in a show that could only ever be clear to one so close to him as Taehyung was.

Slowly, Taehyung let his head raise, once again barely inches from Sir Jimin’s barely flushed face, looking deeply into his purple-glazed eyes.

“There,” he whispered, “is that better?”

The soft click in Sir Jimin’s throat could only be heard by Taehyung’s close proximity.

“You do not share the luminescent eyes of the Primogen Alfredi, but it appears you’ve exchanged her holy sight with the strength of your miracles, Lord Primogen.” Sir Jimin replied. The sound of his voice was so unlike what it normally was, normally pleasant, level, melodic voice having stooped to something throaty, something raw, something that rumbled from deep within Sir Jimin’s chest into the space between them, lighting Taehyung aflame.

A miracle indeed. A miracle that Taehyung could see this dutiful Paladin so barely undone like this, hear this tone that he was sure Sir Jimin had never spoken to anyone else in before.

“It is all thanks to the Bulb above.” Taehyung smiled, watched as Sir Jimin’s purple-glazed eyes dropped to catch the slow grin. “The teachings of the Bulbian Church have allowed me to work the miracles I have.”

Because the Bulbian Church never taught anything that could be detrimental to its following.

“I take it you are feeling changed?”

“I am-” he paused, gathered his wits about him once again, swallowed, “yes. I am feeling changed. It’s a strange feeling I have never experienced before. If you would, Lord Primogen- what is this strange feeling alight in my body? Is it the aftereffects of your miracle? I have never felt a prayer so strong as yours, if that is the case. I feel- I feel as if there is something inside me that is waiting to eat me up.”

He knew it. The Bulbian Church had never spared a thought to educate its most devoted follower of a most common facet of hybrid relationships. Truly, Sir Jimin had simply been but a faithful, mindless soldier in the hands of the Church. Taehyung himself didn’t expect the Charm Person to take effect as easily as it did. He barely had to maintain control over it, press it deeper into Sir Jimin’s mind, lead Sir Jimin into agreement to each of his suggestions. All the Charm Person was doing was leaving the Paladin a bit more relaxed, more understanding to new sensations. He didn’t have to force the magic deeper at all, letting it linger in pleasurable tingles at his skin instead and letting the atmosphere and his own suggestive touches do the rest of the work.

Logically, he knew from personal experience that someone who didn’t know the slightest thing about sexual intimacy would fall more easily into the sensations as long as they weren’t well and truly unwelcome, but he hadn’t expected it to truly be this easy.

The Sugar Plum Fairy must have marveled at the ease of his submission that night long ago as he did with Sir Jimin right now.

“The Bulbian Church teaches you many things. Be not proud. Share your wealth with those who may need it. Covet not what is another’s. Hoard not excess for yourself if another is hungry. Calm your rage. Lose yourself not to lust. Tell me, Sir Jimin, do you know what lust is?”

The slight furrow in Sir Jimin’s eyebrows, which had smoothened with the recitations of the familiar teachings of the Church, etched itself once again into being. “Lust is… pleasure. Lust is pleasure.”

Taehyung leaned in closer, that hair’s breadth away from Sir Jimin’s lips, felt his breath catch. “Pray, tell me Sir Jimin, what do you mean by pleasure? Surely not every pleasurable thing is lustful. After all, you must take pleasure in carrying out your duties for the Church. How could that pleasure be wrong?”

“It- yes.” Sir Jimin stuttered softly, gaze fixated on Taehyung’s lips, so close to his own. Taehyung easily fought back a victorious smile. “The simple pleasures of life are not wrong. Lust is… is depravity.”

Slowly, Taehyung let his fingertips trail down from their almost forgotten place at Sir Jimin’s sides, down, down, at the taper of his slim hips and then- nothing. Down, on the floor, caging Sir Jimin and his faint, caught, disappointed sigh. “Do you know what that depravity is, Sir Jimin?”

Sir Jimin’s eyes snapped up from their heated stare at the infuriating proximity of Taehyung’s hands to his hips, so close, yet so far, back up in an instant to Taehyung’s gaze, equally smoldering as his own, but so, so clever, the gaze of someone who knew they were in complete control and didn’t mind if they showed it. And Taehyung watched the knowledge of his control settle into Sir Jimin’s gaze, watched Sir Jimin surrender further into his power, into this unknown feeling, but the complete trust that Taehyung- that the Primogen would take care of him.

“I am- I’m not sure, Lord Primogen. Depravity as something separate from thievery, deception- that is something I have yet to have been exposed to.”

“How strange, Sir Jimin.” Taehyung said, watched his eyebrows belatedly deepen their furrow ever so slightly, watched his breathing change for a different reason than the unknown surges of hot feeling rising within him. “The Church has taught you to keep away from lust, but has not taught you what lust is. How, then, are you to defend yourself from this evil?”

Sir Jimin swallowed, struggling against the fog in his brain to find an answer. The Church would not leave him unprepared like that, Taehyung knew hew was thinking. The Church was careful. The Church would prepare him for everything he needed in life. The Church was all giving.

He let the Paladin's internal conflict continue for a second longer before he stepped back in, long enough to sow a seed of doubt deep, deep where it wouldn’t be discovered, but not enough to jar a disturbed Sir Jimin from his spell.

“Hush, good Paladin. The agitated tell of your breath lets me know you are troubled. Breathe, relax. I am here, am I not? Be compliant and I will teach you.”

And finally- he raised his hands to rest against Sir Jimin’s hips.

The effect was instantaneous. Muscles bunched immediately under Taehyung’s hands, almost alarmingly so, as if serving as a reminder that, unshackled, Sir Jimin had the innate power to flatten Taehyung within an inch of his life. And yet Sir Jimin’s hips bucked lowly, an aborted motion, seeking friction although Sir Jimin likely didn’t understand what for, an involuntary reaction controlled immediately by Sir Jimin’s awareness that Taehyung was the one who held the reins in this situation.

Taehyung swallowed, watched Sir Jimin’s eyes follow the motion, let heat fill him. Had circumstances been different, Taehyung would take the time to enjoy this, the awesome control Sir Jimin maintained over his lack of control, the conviction in his ever burning gaze that Taehyung would take care of the situation, of him, of all this unfamiliarity.

Oh, if circumstances were different, Taehyung would have loved to take the time to slowly take Sir Jimin apart underneath him, teach him everything he didn’t know, give him anything he had the courage to ask for.

But circumstances were not different. Taehyung needed to sow seeds of conflict, needed information, answers.

Taehyung needed to become the apparent evil.

So he spoke, playful, powerful, let himself enjoy the rare power this situation allowed him, and kept his mind focused on his goals as he tightened one hand chidingly and let the other drift further inwards, where Sir Jimin didn’t yet know he needed it most. “No, no, no, do remember what I said, good Paladin. Compliance. I require compliance in order to teach you what you don’t know. What do you say? Do you think you can be good for me?”

And suddenly, Taehyung felt as if Sir Jimin’s so very pale green irises grew just the slightest bit deeper in color as his eyes blew wide. He opened his mouth, snapped it shut with a painful click, tried to calm the sudden heaving of his shoulders.

“No, no, no,” Taehyung murmured again, watched his disapproval settle into Sir Jimin’s agitated form, watched his lips begin to form into a pout. “You mustn't stop yourself from giving answers to questions I’ve asked, Sir Jimin. That is bad behavior. Bad students don’t get taught. What a shame. The Bulb would be so disappointed in you, supposedly the most devoted follower of the Church.”

A whimper tore itself from Sir Jimin’s throat. Taehyung smiled.

“That’s right. That would be terrible, wouldn’t it? Tell me then, Sir Jimin. Will you comply fully with my instructions?”

It took a moment, but finally Sir Jimin seemed to regain his scattered wits enough to nod in response, licking dry lips before opening them. “Yes, Primogen. I will comply.”

“Good.” Taehyung awarded him by letting his hand fall over his clothed cock, cup it, feel it fill under his weak, allowing grip. Sir Jimin’s reaction was unprecedented, jolting in his place against the wall so hard the chains rattled loudly, somehow a further reminder as to how little control Sir Jimin held in this position rather than a reminder as to, perhaps, how strange the situation was in the first place, a Primogen and a Paladin engaged in depraved affairs in an isolated dungeon cell.

Not that Sir Jimin was aware that he was committing the very depravity he was told not too. Foolish Bulbians. It was always easy to fool the most steady hearted. Because no one ever told the steadfast what it took to be wrong, only ever what it took to be right.

“Lord- my Lord Primogen, Your Grace, please-”

“Ah.” Taehyung chided, lifted his pressure on Sir Jimin’s crotch lightly, raised an expectant eyebrow. “Did I tell you to beg?”

“I- No, no you didn’t, Lord Primogen, I apologize-”

“Good, that’s enough. I do not need further apology from you, we do not have much time and I already took some of it performing a miracle for you and making sure you were comfortable.”

Sir Jimin’s barely noticeable frown tipped down further, another soft whimper falling from his lips.

“That’s alright, I did not mean to demean you as a cause of my own actions. It was I who chose to make you comfortable as I have no tools to free you from your shackles. You yourself said there was no need, ever so vigilant, so dutiful, always so good, aren't you, Sir Jimin? Indeed, the wasted time was entirely my fault. But, my good Sir Jimin, you must tell me- where are you supposed to meet them?”

And all of a sudden, the conversation was back to politics, here, with Taehyung hot under the collar of his Candian Primogen robes and Sir Jimin, partially disrobed and panting in a way that was largely uncharacteristic of him. The faint furrow in Sir Jimin’s eyebrows deepened further as he struggled to remember the details of the Tournament and the poisonous water steel daggers he carried hidden underneath his Bulbian cloak and armor.

“There was no plan, Your Grace.” Sir Jimin glanced up at his face, searching for reproach, but Taehyung only smiled encouragingly, rested the pressure of his hand back on his crotch and watched his head fall back, throat swallow painfully as he struggled to remember the rest of it, speaking in disparate pauses and quickening sentences in that deep, rumbling tone his voice had fallen to. “I was supposed to- execute the King. I was supposed to move, but I couldn’t get to him in time. He- moved out of the way, the blade didn’t find its purchase.”

It wasn’t deliberate, the way Taehyung’s hand tightened over his clothed cock, more out of anger at the insidious Church than reward for a request well answered, but the way Sir Jimin gasped so beautifully at the increased sensation gave Taehyung ideas as he struggled to continue to speak.

“I was supposed to walk away! A- And let him die, on the field.”

Taehyung wondered if there would ever be a world where Sir Jimin would realize the full weight of what he was saying. The attempted assassination of a king who had done no wrong, simply to prevent him from taking over the Concordant Throne as what would be a fair Emperor over the six kingdoms of the Concord. But if there was such a world out there, it wasn’t this one, wasn’t Calorum, where Taehyung needed Sir Jimin to believe he had done well, that he was allowed to speak this hideous truth to him, that Taehyung would abide by the faith and do something about his failure. So instead of slapping the Paladin across his beautiful, sculpted pale orange face, he moved his hand along his stiff cock, a simple upward drag that had the chains rattling loudly against the stone walls of the dungeons as Sir Jimin thrashed, overwhelmed and pleasured and believing he was being rewarded for performing his duty, even though his initial assassination attempt had been botched by unusal insight from the king and the swift reactions of the children of his entourage.

“Okay,” he sighed, allowed himself a moment to recollect his thoughts, distracted Sir Jimin by running a purposeful finger over where he could feel the head of his cock straining against his pants and then giving him a moment to regain his thoughts as his back thudded heavily against the wall, resting there, panting heavily. “There’s still time for me to do this. Where could I find another blade like this? Who can I- _trust_ to help me with this action?”

Taehyung gave Sir Jimin another moment to gather himself and Sir Jimin used it beautifully, collecting himself even under the bombardment of new and foreign sensations. Taehyung would never have that control, if he was new to sexual interaction, hadn't, that night the Sugar Plum Fairy had introduced him to it. He almost felt proud of the Paladin, watching him struggle and pant, watching his muscles strain beneath his robes, watching him do his best to answer.

He almost felt proud, but that pride was also for yet another world that wasn’t Calorum, for different circumstances where he wasn’t pretending to be a miracle worker of the Bulbain faith, where Sir Jimin hadn’t just attempted to assassinate his king under orders from _someone_ in the Church Taehyung had to find out, where they weren’t two people in a jail cell, where only the free person knew they were enemies.

“I know not where blades of water can be made, I only know that- the Primogen Alfredi can- if she was able to give me three, she can certainly give you more.”

Primogen Alfredi. It was her after all, the only other miracle worker of the faith he’d met, with her glowing white eyes and terrifyingly sharp questions. He was not at all surprised to know that she was involved in the planning of the assassination, given her almost immediate and utterly unfounded suspicion of him upon their first meeting. He still wasn't sure he believed the Pontifex herself wasn't involved the planning, despite the visible surprise on her features when Sir Jimin had been caught during the Tournament, but that the Ceresian Primogen was able to procure water steel daggers, poisonous to all hybrid races of Calorum and especially to Candians, was much more of grave discovery, another startling truth that had him involuntarily tightening his grip around Sir Jimin’s erection in grim astonishment. But it was Sir Jimin’s reaction, a whine, so high in the back of his throat it was almost imperceptible, that brought him back to the situation at hand, to the Paladin so beautifully wasted at the slightest stroke of his fingers. Alfredi would be dealt with in a second. For now, Taehyung owed it to Sir Jimin to give him the release he deserved.

“Great.” He said, watching, gathering his own thoughts about him so that he didn’t accidentally crush Sir Jimin’s poor cock in his anger, cataloguing his memories of Sir Jimin’s reactions. “You’ve done well. I’ll see to it that the assassination and Al- the Primogen Alfredi are well taken care of- let’s take care of you for now, shall we?”

Not that he had all the leisure in the world to bring Sir Jimin to climax, if he wanted to deal with someone as dangerous as Alfredi was proving to be, it was better that he deal with her sooner than later. And yet there was a part of him that couldn’t stand to leave Sir Jimin unfinished, Sir Jimin who was so new to this as Taehyung himself had been all those years ago when the Sugar Plum Fairy had taken advantage of him much as he now took advantage of Sir Jimin, Sir Jimin who deserved Hell for attempted murder but didn’t deserve to be victim to Taehyung’s hatred of a being he could never hurt.

So instead, he said, “Keep your eyes on me,” and took his chin in his free hand, angling his face up so Sir Jimin could not longer see what was happening below with Taehyung’s hand lest he become too overwhelmed by the foreign sight, and kissing him hard on the mouth, fully dominating Sir Jimin’s slackened lips with a ferocity that never overpowered its gentleness, passionately encouraging Sir Jimin to kiss back, to find a rhythm that matched his own, to seek his own pleasure from Taehyung’s mouth. And in the desperation of trying to figure out what to do with Alfredi, wondering whether it was worth it to have the king leave the city early, despite the Emperor’s intentions to announce him the new Concordant Emperor, stalwartly blocking the early rising of his guilt at performing upon another a mimicry of the misfortune that had been performed upon him, he did feel proud of Sir Jimin, who gasped so prettily into his mouth, who followed his lead and caught on quickly at how best to kiss back, who found the courage to buck into his hand to silently ask for more and whine and screw his eyes shut when he got more for his good behavior. He felt proud enough to abandon his racing thoughts as he felt Sir Jimin’s cock jerk in his slow and easy grasp, a clear sign of his impending orgasm, and instead remove his hand, tutting at Sir Jimin’s disappointed whine as he drew back, trying instinctively to chase his lips in a sight that had Taehyung almost abandoning everything to indulge him.

Unfortunately, Taehyung had been playing many dedicated parts for far too long to allow himself to be distracted by a beautiful man whining for more under his breath with the most beautiful devastated expression in all of Calorum.

“Shush, Sir Jimin, I told you I would take care of you, did I not?” The sight of Sir Jimin biting his lips in a clear bid for control before slowly, visibly painfully nodding yes with screwed shut eyes brought a smile to Taehyung’s face, involuntary and pained. He knew what he had to do with Alfredi.

Be the apparent evil indeed.

“Open your eyes, Sir Jimin. I also told you to keep your eyes on me, didn’t I?” Taehyung’s smile was smooth and relaxed by the time Sir Jimin’s eyes opened once more, green once again so pale it actually faded into the white of his eyes, covered by the purple glaze of the Sugar Plum Fairy’s magic. “Wonderful. Watch closely. This is a one-time service I’m offering you now, do you understand? You won’t have the materials to clean yourself otherwise and I’ve probably caused you to make a right mess of your underpants already. But this is not something I casually do for people, you understand?”

He also didn’t casually sleep with people, but Sir Jimin didn’t need to know that. By the end of this encounter, Taehyung doubted Sir Jimin would want to know _anything_ about him other than his whereabouts, with what Taehyung had planned. So for now, he maintained eye contact with Sir Jimin to distract him from his wandering hands, trying to find an opening from under his loosened robes and armor plates to slip his cock through. When his straining cock finally sprang up from its confines into the open air of the dungeon cell, for all the heat the cell had accumulated, Sir Jimin immediately winced and shivered, sensitive from something that he didn't even yet know was his first time. Even the king’s firstborn child knew far more about sexual intercourse than this heavily devoted Paladin before him, which was a feat for someone who was more than a full decade older.

“I know, it’ll be better in a second,” Taehyung soothed, and waited until Sir Jimin’s gaze straightened back onto him to lower his mouth, much to Sir Jimin’s shock, until he was sucking lightly at his head.

Sir Jimin cried out at the newest sensation, the loudest sound Taehyung had ever heard from him, and in a surprising moment of shame Taehyung for some reason never thought to expect from the Paladin, he immediately slapped a hand over his mouth, orange blush rising faintly to his otherwise pale cheeks.

With a lick to his head, Taehyung released his cock momentarily and looked up at him, encouraging. “Considering where we are at present, it is perhaps best to mind our volume, you were so clever thinking to muffle yourself before I could even react! But if you are ever in a more private setting, don’t feel ashamed to let your voice out, alright? It is not shameful, it allows your partner to be reassured that they are performing well. It is like a reward for their efforts. If you were ever in this position with anyone else, you would want to be rewarded for your efforts as well, wouldn’t you?”

With some difficulty, Sir Jimin nodded, still embarrassed, but understanding. He had been so, incredibly understanding throughout this entire affair. If Taehyung wasn’t careful, he would start feeling guilty for his actions a lot earlier than he would be allowed to, given his circumstances.

“Good. A feeling has been rising in you since we started this, hasn’t it? Something hot, building in your gut and spreading outwards, so foreign, but so pleasurable, isn’t that right?” For a moment, Taehyung froze, considering the worst possible possibility after having admitted a moment too early that he had been providing the exact type of forbidden pleasure they had been talking about earlier. But the fear that froze his veins solid was momentary, slowly melting as Sir Jimin nodded again, as if he had noticed nothing strange in his word choice.

“That’s good, that’s a good feeling. It’s going to build as I suck and it will crest and I don’t want you to fight it. I just want you to let it happen, okay? It’s alright to let it happen, I promise it isn’t urine at an unfortunate time. I’m just trying to make you feel good, take care of you like I said I would. I mean, ideally I wouldn’t overwhelm you with a mouth during your first time, but I’ve already probably made such a mess of your underpants and you have nothing to clean yourself with, so this is what’s going to have to happen instead. Other partners might not do this for you, okay? Talk about-” he paused, stifling a snort. _“Talk about”. He_ had the nerve to tell Sir Jimin to talk to his potential future partners when he was here doing this to a man who had yet to realize he was committing a sin in the eyes of the Bulbian Church, “talk about what the both of you are comfortable with in the future, alright?”

When Sir Jimin finally nodded, innocent eyes wide and hooded, Taehyung smiled. “Alright, you’ve been so good for me. It’s time for you to get what you deserve isn’t it? Just let yourself go and feel good, good Paladin.”

And with that, Taehyung ducked down to suck at his cockhead again, sucking in his cheeks gently so as to not overwhelm Sir Jimin who was so clearly already overwhelmed at his light suck, throwing his head back and throat convulsing almost violently in an effort to keep quiet. Taehyung's right hand raised to grasp his hip tightly in a warning he wasn’t sure Sir Jimin entirely had the right references to understand, muscles bunching, shifting, and straining under his wide-spanned grip. His left hand traced lightly over the exposed flat of his cock, light brushes that had Sir Jimin shivering just shy of a shudder, although they grew in intensity as his cock jerked under his fingertips and his hips bucked minutely in his grip, hurtling towards a climax that finally had him whining again, high at the back of his throat as he released into Taehyung’s mouth, unable to stifle his sound anymore at the intense wave of feeling that coursed over him.

It had been a while since Taehyung had engaged in any sexual activity, especially since joining the king’s diplomatic entourage, but Taehyung found that it wasn’t entirely foreign of a sensation to gather, swallow, gather, swallow, as he’d assumed it would have been after all this time. The taste against his tongue tasted faintly of carrots as Taehyung gave a final, parting soft suck and rose, taking in the sight of the disheveled Paladin before him.

He was beautiful, bordering on heavenly, an angel brought down to Calorum to turn his sinful heart to good. Unfortunately, it was time to get to greater stages.

“What- What was that?” Sir Jimin asked when he was conscious enough, catching the last of Taehyung safely tucking him into his underpants and retreating from his space entirely. Taehyung could see the confusion on his face, although the blank expression was already fighting to regain control over his thoughts. Taehyung was already starting to lose control of his Charm Person spell with the unprecedented shock he'd just given him, whether he wanted it to be over or not. Truly the faith present in the Paladin’s mind was a frightful thing.

Too bad Taehyung already got everything he wanted from him. “Wasn’t it fun?”

They way Sir Jimin frowned his not-frown, barely scrunching his eyebrows at the beginning warnings that something was wrong as Taehyung's insistent Charm Person was powerfully chased out of the shaken mind of the Paladin told Taehyung to subtly move out of his immediate swinging range, had him eyeing his handiwork in a nervousness he hoped was concealed. “Fun..?”

“Yes, fun. That was pleasure. Synonymous to fun, something to be enjoyed. In the words of some, it would be called depravity.”

And all of a sudden, the blankness was returning to Sir Jimin’s visage at alarming speed, rough, guttural voice returning to its level, melodic state.

“What is the meaning of this?” The stare he gave Taehyung had him suppressing a terrified shiver, tensing his legs to stand and move back immediately, if it was required of him, even though he had taken precautions to be outside of the Paladin’s reach. If the Bulb truly cared for its followers, Sir Jimin would be able to slip out of his shackles and immediately bludgeon Taehyung to death with nothing but his fists, or perhaps a loose enough piece of his armor. Cold sweat broke out along Taehyung's back as he kept his face as neutral as possible.

“I told you I would teach you if you were good for me, didn’t I? About lust? I couldn’t not show you exactly what lust and pleasure was after you were so good for me.”

In the next instant following his bold utterances, everything changed. Sir Jimin’s expression truly distorted like nothing Taehyung had ever seen from him before, deep-seated betrayal and fury flashing across his face in equal measures as his veins seemed to bulge menancingly in his throat as he boomed, _“Lapin Cadbury!”_

And Taehyung wasn’t quite sure what snapped in him, why, even though this furious Paladin was one of the most terrifying sights he’d ever seen, even though his sweat was now uncomfortably drenching his back and he could hear the distant echo of footsteps racing to where they were at the sound of Sir Jimin’s furious bellow- even if everything in Taehyung was telling him to run, it all faded to white noise at the sound of a name he foolishly never expected to hear, here in this cell of a dungeon with an enemy who finally realized that the two of them were not on the same side.

_Lapin Cadbury._

And it was strange, everyone called him Lapin. He had been taught not to mind it, to treat it as if it were his real name. But for some reason, to hear it here, coming from the beautiful, deadly set of the mouth of a gorgeous Paladin he had personally wronged for simply following orders after the good Paladin had assured him he would not call him by his name- for some reason, hearing it from Sir Jimin who he’d just betrayed and had, for some strange, foolish reason, not expected to be betrayed in this very minor way in return, turned all reason in Taehyung’s head to white noise and he rose abruptly, startling them both with the fury contained in his shaking stature as he took one fateful step forward, under the watchful, alert eye of a Paladin trained well in the ways of combat.

And Taehyung, well, Taehyung was a warlock, got his powers from an outside entity and had no power to speak of to call his own, and so Taehyung couldn’t understand at all where this instinct was coming from, but in one crisp movement, he raised his hand and slapped Sir Jimin crisp across the face, glaring, even as Sir Jimin tenderly touched his beaten cheek, looking not the slightest bit pained, and glanced up at him, shocked temporarily out of his anger.

 _“Never,”_ he hissed, with all the rage hidden inside of him he was never able to show anyone aside from Sir Theobald, _“ever_ refer to me by that name.”

And without a single word of explanation or apology, he turned and left, gesturing to allow the startled and anxious garrison now waiting directly outside the room to go in.

“Oh,” Commander Grissini started, clearly confused as to what had just transpired, “Your Grace was-”

And suddenly the white noise faded and everything rushed right back into Taehyung’s head as if it hadn’t been momentarily wiped out by a completely uncalled for blind rage, reminding him that no, it was indeed not yet over.

_Be the apparent evil._

He straightened, looked over Commander Grissini to the rest of the garrison, and spoke in his most authoritative voice, “Arrest Primogen Alfredi.”

In a cruel mockery of what had occurred before Taehyung had been allowed to be alone with Sir Jimin, the room went entirely silent.

Commander Grissini was the first to recover himself from the shock, although it was not by much. “On- On, uh- On what grounds?”

Taehyung spared no glance behind him. “He- just told me that that’s where he got the daggers. Move now or we will lose our advantage.”

If they hadn’t lost it already.

And although Taehyung knew from a simple glance in his direction that Sir Theobald was just as dumbfounded as the rest of the garrison, he swiftly recovered his shaken posture and demanded, much more naturally authoritative booming voice raising over the horrified silence of the Imperial soldiers, “You already lost your honor, this is how you get it back!”

Commander Grissini shook. In another world, in different circumstances, Taehyung would feel bad for him. He had received so many shocks in one day, as a Bulbian having to imprison a Bulbian Paladin for attempted assassination, the reveal of water steel daggers during the Tournament, poisonous especially to the Candian people but similarly dangerous to _all_ the hybrid species of Calorum, unwitting disrespect to a Primogen of the Bulbian Church just prior and now- now he had been given an order by that very same Primogen to arrest another Primogen, from his own birth country, who had been revealed to be involved in the attempted assassination of the King of Candia with more than one water steel dagger. In another world that was not Calorum, when time was not of the essence, Taehyung would pull the Commander aside and thank him for his hard work, advise him to take some time to rest, to look deep into himself and rediscover what it meant to him to be a Ceresian Commander of the Imperial army of the Concord.

This was not another world.

“We are honor bound by guests of the Concordant Emperor,” the Commander paused, took in a breath, continued, “to honor this request. Men, find and arrest Primogen Alfredi of Ceresia.”

In a practiced about turn, although the entire garrison was clearly still rattled by the declaration, about forty of the hundred present soldiers immediately turned and filed out of the room.

Behind him, Taehyung could finally hear the sounds of Sir Jimin getting over his shock as he bellowed, a hundred threats written into the furious tone of his voice, _“Apostate!”_ And although nothing would terrify him more than to turn and read the fury etched into the Paladin’s otherworldly face, Taehyung knew, just as he knew he’d been unfairly punishing the Paladin with treatment he himself had found cruel in his younger years for a king who usually frustrated him more than he ever inspired loyalty in his time in Castle Candy, that he again owed it to Sir Jimin to give him that one final look, to accept what would undoubtedly be a death threat for his betrayal not to him, but to the Church. And so Taehyung turned.

Sir Jimin was struggling furiously against his shackles, the loud cacophony of rattling chains incomparable to any of the sounds Taehyung had heard him make before, the veins straining against a deep blush of orange that spread from his cheeks to his whole face and downwards in his wrath. And yes, Taehyung was weak. Yes, Taehyung was weak, yes, Taehyung had been taken advantage of in his younger years and enslaved by the Sugar plum Fairy in exchange for granting her three wishes, yes, he was under the service of a royal family he could not help but hate, but also yes, he was under the service of a royal family that he sometimes could not help but love, even against his deepest desires, yes, his enslaver granted him magic powerful enough to charm the mind of a man so faithful he was immune to magic control, yes, Taehyung was in constant danger trying to hide his heretic magic as a Primogen of a church that persecuted all arcane magic users, but yes, Taehyung had become so, so smart because of this life he’d lead.

So yes, Taehyung had known Sir Jimin wouldn’t take to the arrest lightly, hadn’t even planned on the Charm Person spell genuinely being able to work, and yes, he had planned ahead.

Clearly Sir Jimin was trying to stand, to get as close to Taehyung at the entranceway to his cell as possible, perhaps miraculously manage to swing at him with that superhuman strength Taehyung knew he had. But Taehyung was smart and Taehyung was resourceful. The “unfastened” armor now hung discordantly over his body no longer one with his skin but large weights holding him down, tangling with his chains and pressing painfully down on skin that pressed too close to an edge. Taehyung had had him restrained from the moment he convinced him to loosen up and the instant he knew Charm Person was working fine without having to dig deeper into his brain, he instead focused on using the lingering magic to pulse pleasure through his body, loosening fighting muscles, exhausting muscles that clenched in reaction anyway to pleasure he was never taught to resist. Taehyung was amazed that Sir Jimin was even able to pound against the chains as much as he now was, but that only proved further how fearsome of a foe he was and, in the end, proved Taehyung was simply doing the smart thing, taking all those precautions. It was a losing battle against his own body and armor, not against the Imperial dungeon of the Concordant Emperor and heavy metal chains, and the instant realization that Taehyung had him bested in ways he had never even thought to question just made Sir Jimin struggle all the more furiously, orange blush of anger deepening to shades Taehyung never knew was possible.

To his side, Sir Theobald stared in a disconnected horror at the furious Paladin in a way that was at war with the admiring glance he sent in Taehyung's direction, a worry that was not his to think of just yet, not right when they had finally managed to fight back against the unknown forces moving against their king. But Taehyung, knowing that he had planned well for Sir Jimin’s possible eruption, knowing _Sir Jimin_ knew he had predicted his moves ahead of time and planned well to prevent them, was feeling that power that the early surge of guilt had blocked out for a time. So Taehyung strode back into the cell, Sir Theobald, Commander Grissini, and sixty remaining soldiers of the garrison at his back and stopped right before the struggling Paladin, casting a shadow over him that felt right in that moment, nature’s simple proof he’d achieved the status of apparent evil he had been aiming for.

“Jimin. Sir Jimin.” He said, soft, something that could very likely not be heard over the cacophonous rattling of chains against uncooperative armor and brutish grunts, and yet Sir Jimin heard, involuntarily freezing in place and glancing up to see Taehyung smile down at him, proud, not of himself in this instant, but of Jimin, of hearing him over his own rage, of stopping, waiting, listening. This Sir Jimin knew, even if he hadn’t known Taehyung for more than a couple of days at this point and involuntarily, a similar pride welled within himself, separate from his boiling rage, at being good, as he should, at being called his name directly, without mention of his station, an imitation of affected proximity.

And Taehyung knew, knew he was abusing this newfound power much, much more than he should, knew his apparent evil was enough, that the ramifications of this little stunt would be greater than he could imagine, but he couldn’t help but lean down, lift Jimin’s chin with two fingers so his gaze could bore evenly into Taehyung’s own, proud smile flowing easily back into its smug, villainous grin, an expression of absolute power and confidence that had Jimin’s stomach swooping down low even as his rage returned, simmering potent and powerful under his skin as he restrained himself in this moment as Taehyung asked, blade edges twinkling in his eyes almost as if he were merry, “Where is your Bulb now?”

**Author's Note:**

> 1) Ha ha, I know I admitted Jimin couldn't be mind controlled and still mind controlled him, but... creative liberty, please..?
> 
> 2) I alluded to a lot of things you haven't seen yet, but if you want clarifications, you can just ask, I'll be happy to give you the answers if I can!


End file.
